{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ryan Collins","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nRyan Collins is a candidate for Pender County Board of Commissioners District 2 in North Carolina [1]. He announced his campaign on November 1, 2025, stating that he seeks to \"restore leadership, rebuild trust, and renew integrity\" in county government [6]. Collins describes himself as bringing decades of leadership and management experience and a commitment to conservative principles [5]. His campaign website, collinsforpender.com, promotes a mission to restore strong leadership and service that puts the community above politics [4].\n\nThe Republican primary election for Pender County offices is scheduled for March 3, 2026 [5][7]. Collins has participated in local events to introduce himself to voters, including a candidate forum hosted by the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce on January 29, 2026 [7]. He has also established an early voting presence at the Hampstead Annex Building during the early voting period leading up to the November 3, 2026 general election [4].\n\nThe campaign has faced scrutiny regarding its fundraising operations. In February 2026, the group Educate Pender PAC highlighted that a fundraiser for Collins was charged with multiple offenses, including violent crimes, weapons charges, and writing bad checks [8]. Collins continues to seek voter support in the upcoming general election on November 3, 2026 [4].\n\n## Career\n\nRyan Collins self-describes as having \"decades of leadership and management experience\" [5]. He operates a business in Hampstead, North Carolina, where he has served as a voting day coordinator during early voting periods for upcoming elections [4].\n\nCollins is a candidate for Pender County Board of Commissioners District 2 in the 2026 election cycle [1]. He officially announced his candidacy on November 1, 2025, stating his intention to \"restore leadership, rebuild trust, and renew integrity\" in county government [6]. His campaign focuses on conservative principles and community unity [5], [9]. Collins participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce on January 29, 2026 [7].\n\nThe Pender County Board of Elections scheduled a primary election for March 3, 2026, which Collins is contesting [3], [5]. The general election is set for November 3, 2026 [4]. As of May 17, 2026, these elections have not yet occurred.\n\nCollins has filed campaign finance reports with Pender County as required by local regulations [2]. His campaign has faced scrutiny from political opponents; an opposing group reported that a fundraiser associated with his campaign was charged with multiple violent crimes and weapons offenses [8].\n\n## Office history\n\nRyan Collins has served as a member of the Pender County Board of Commissioners for District 2 [1]. He announced his candidacy for re-election to this position in November 2025, stating that he seeks to restore leadership and integrity to the county government [6]. Collins identifies himself as a candidate with decades of leadership and management experience who is committed to conservative principles [5].\n\nCollins is currently seeking re-election in the upcoming 2026 Pender County Commissioner District 2 race. He qualified for the March 3, 2026, Republican primary election [5]. The general election for this office is scheduled for November 3, 2026 [4]. As of May 17, 2026, the outcome of these elections remains unknown.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Ryan Collins (Pender County Board of Commissioners District 2 ...](https://ballotpedia.org/Ryan_Collins_(Pender_County_Board_of_Commissioners_District_2,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2026))\n[2] [Campaign Finance Reports | Pender County, NC](https://www.pendercountync.gov/1962/Campaign-Finance-Reports)\n[3] [Pender County Board of Elections Announces Primary Election ...](https://www.pendercountync.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=219)\n[4] [Collins for Pender: Local Elections in Pender County](https://collinsforpender.com/)\n[5] [Ryan Collins for Pender County](https://www.facebook.com/61582699473316/posts/vote-ryan-collins-in-the-march-3rd-gop-primary-for-pender-county-commissioner-di/122119788369089982/)\n[6] [Ryan Collins runs for Pender County Commissioner District 2](https://www.facebook.com/61582699473316/posts/it-was-a-wonderful-evening-to-share-some-exciting-news-im-officially-running-for/122102609145089982/)\n[7] [\u201cI'm Ryan Collins and I am running for County Commissioner of ...](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUJvxLdDqrj/)\n[8] [RYAN COLLINS FUNDRAISER CHARGED WITH ...](https://www.facebook.com/educatependerpac/posts/ryan-collins-fundraiser-charged-with-multiple-violent-crimes-weapons-charges-wri/122181339842865252/)\n[9] [I'm running for County Commissioner because Pender ...](https://www.facebook.com/61582699473316/posts/im-running-for-county-commissioner-because-pender-county-deserves-leadership-tha/122106255129089982/)","firstname":"Ryan","lastname":"Collins","middlename":"Christopher","suffix":null,"token":"f52b98e331f4b48b"},"token":"z3v_prNgEMv6_Y5Z"},{"candidatename":"Brookey Hardee","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Brookey Duckworth Hardee is the Democratic candidate for Pender County Board of Commissioners District\u202f2 in the 2026 general election. The district covers the southern coastal region and Hampstead, and the Democratic nominee will face the winner of the Republican primary in November\u202f2026\u202f[9][10].\n\nPublicly available filings list Hardee as the sole Democrat on the ballot for District\u202f2; she did not submit a questionnaire response to the media consortium that gathered candidate positions for the primary\u202f[9][10]. No biographical details such as education, professional background, or prior elected service are provided in the cited sources.\n\nBecause Hardee has not yet released a campaign platform or record of public service in these sources, her specific policy priorities and accomplishments remain unreported at this time. Voters can expect further information as the campaign progresses and additional filings or statements become available.\n\n## Sources\n- [9] [Primary Election 2026: Pender County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners candidate questionnaires | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2026/02/15/primary-election-2026-pender-county-board-of-education-and-board-of-commissioners-candidate-questionnaires/)\n- [10] [Primary 2026: Pender County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners candidate questionnaires | WHQR](https://www.whqr.org/local/2026-02-12/primary-2026-pender-county-board-of-education-and-board-of-commissioners-candidate-questionnaires)\n- [11] [A look at who filed in the 2026 tri-county elections | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2025/12/19/look-at-who-filed-in-2026-elections/)","firstname":"Brookey","lastname":"Hardee","middlename":"Duckworth","suffix":null,"token":"5297f266f624681b"},"token":"NM-pbCHsEMKIGbax"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":"county_commission","office":"county_commission","officedescription":"A county commissioner is a member of the county's legislative body. The commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, authorizes borrowing, and passes county resolutions and ordinances. Commissioners are elected from districts (or at-large seats) to represent constituents on countywide policy.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.\n- Constituent relations in the district \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Pender County Board Of Commissioners District 02"}